Gobind: Absurd if task force has no documents on PM-linked transactions

A DAP lawmaker has claimed that it would be absurd if the special task force does not possess the documents cited with regard to the allegation that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak paid prominent lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah RM9.5 million.

“That would speak volumes for their credibility. That would also throw wide open the question as to whether or not the task force has been of any use at all after all this while,” said Gobind Singh.

The Puchong MP called on inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar or other members of the task force to disclose whether they had seen the documents related to the bank accounts involved in the SRC International transactions.

“The special task force was created years ago.

“Surely the police and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) ought to have, after all this time, sight of all transactions in the accounts of SRC and that of the prime minister,” he said.

Khalid is the only remaining member of the special task force who still remains in office.

Then attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail was replaced under mysterious circumstances in July 2015, following which the task force's investigations - which involved raids on 1MDB - came to a grinding halt.

Two other members, then Bank Negara governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz and MACC head Abu Kassim Mohamed, retired last year after their tenures ended.

Gobind was responding to Khalid's statement that Sarawak Report's London-based editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown should come to Malaysia to provide documents related to the RM9.5 million payment allegation.

Sarawak Report claimed the payment was made from the same account into which funds from SRC, a former 1MDB subsidiary, were transferred.

Meanwhile, Gobind said with the task force comprising heads of major institutions, the public expected a top notch investigation.

“Where there are doubts, they must answer. In this case clearly there are. So the IGP or anyone else from the force needs to speak up to put matters right.

“If they have the documents they must state if the allegations are true or not.

“If they do not, then they must explain why up until now, basic documents and facts like these have not yet been obtained to assist in their probe,” he added.

Yesterday, Clare told Malaysiakini that as a member of the special task force, Khalid would have seen the same documents.

Sarawak Report's allegation had led to claims of a political conspiracy against Anwar Ibrahim since Shafee acted as the chief prosecutor when the jailed former opposition leader's case was heard in the higher courts.

Based on this allegation, Anwar, through his lawyers, filed an application to overturn his conviction.

Malaysiakini cannot independently verify Sarawak Report's allegation or confirm if the alleged payment was related to Shafee's role in Anwar's case.

Earlier today, Shafee said he would issue a statement on this matter.- Mkini